Circular vacuum handle

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner having a base adapted for movement on a surface to be cleaned, a rear housing pivotally attached at a first end to the base, a vacuum source, a dirt collection container, and a handle attached to a second end of the rear housing. The handle has a grip structure having a substantially circular opening through it. The opening is adapted to receive a hand of a user for use in directing the vacuum cleaner.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 60/554,406, filed Mar. 19, 2004, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The following applications, filed concurrently with the presentapplication, are related by subject matter and are incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety: Design Application No. ______, AttorneyDocket Number 64553.001038; Design Application No. ______, AttorneyDocket Number 64553.001039; Design Application No. ______, AttorneyDocket Number 64553.001040; and Design Application No. ______, AttorneyDocket Number 64553.001041.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cleaning systems, and morespecifically to devices for cleaning floors, fabrics, carpets, clothing,upholstery, curtains, fabric and various other hard and soft surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various floor cleaning devices, such as mops, brooms, vacuums, steamcleaners, wet extractors, and the like have been produced in the priorart. These prior art devices are typically provided in canister,upright, hand-held and other portable configurations, and may be poweredby an electrical cord or by batteries. In many cases, the device isprovided with a handle to facilitate movement and/or use. These handlesinclude, for example, simple straight shaft designs such as the woodenhandles on most brooms, somewhat more ergonomic curved handles,pistol-grip type handles, and space-saving molded-in handles such asthose formed directly in the housing of many hand-held devices. Examplesof various handles are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,884,358; D334,447;6,108,862; and D431,335. All of the aforementioned patents areincorporated herein by reference.

While these handles are somewhat useful for manipulating theirassociated cleaning devices, they suffer from various shortcomings. Forexample, such handles are generally shaped to provide only one distinctoperating position for the user's hand. Such handles are also oftentimesdeficient when it comes to manipulating the device during transportationand storage. Still further, these handles may consume excess storagespace. As such, there remains a need to provide an improved handledesign for cleaning devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a multi-position circular handle forcleaning devices. In a first embodiment, the invention provides a vacuumcleaner having a base adapted for movement on a surface to be cleaned, arear housing, pivotally attached at a first end thereof to the base, avacuum source, a dirt collection container, and a handle attached to asecond end of the rear housing. The handle has a grip structure having asubstantially circular opening through it. The opening is adapted toreceive a hand of a user for use in directing the vacuum cleaner.

In one variation of this first embodiment, the handle further has atelescoping handle post joining the hear housing to the grip structure.The telescoping handle post is telescopically affixed to the rearhousing and adapted to be adjustable between at least a collapsedposition and an extended position.

In another variation of the first embodiment, the grip structure has agrip surface disposed on at least a portion of an inner side of the gripstructure. Such a grip surface may be an overmolded rubber or syntheticmaterial. In various other embodiments, the grip structure may have oneor more controls for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner,may have a toroid shape, may have a substantially circular outerperimeter, and may be pivotable about an axis generally aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the rear housing.

The dirt collection chamber of the vacuum cleaner may be a bag or aremovable canister, and may have one or more filters through which airmoving through the vacuum cleaner passes to remove particles from theair. The vacuum cleaner may also be a wet extractor having a fluiddelivery system associated with it.

In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a vacuum cleanerhaving a canister with a vacuum source and a dirt collection chamber, ahose connected to the canister, a wand connected to the hose, afloor-engaging cleaning head attached to an end of the wand opposite thehose, and a handle attached to the wand. The handle has a grip structurehaving a substantially circular opening through it. the opening isadapted to receive a hand of a user for use in directing the wand.

In a variation of this second embodiment, the grip structure may have agrip surface disposed on at least a portion of an inner side of the gripstructure. Such a grip surface may be an overmolded rubber or syntheticmaterial. In various other embodiments, the grip structure may have oneor more controls for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner,may have a toroid shape, may have a substantially circular outerperimeter, and may be pivotable about an axis generally aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the rear housing.

The dirt collection chamber of the vacuum cleaner of this secondembodiment may be a bag or a removable canister, and may have one ormore filters through which air moving through the vacuum cleaner passesto remove particles from the air. The vacuum cleaner may also be a wetextractor having a fluid delivery system associated with it.

Further embodiments and variations are described herein and encompassedwithin the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an angled view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown attached toa vacuum cleaner, which is depicted in a partially-reclined usageposition.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown attached to avacuum cleaner, which is depicted in the upright storage position withthe handle extended.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown attached to avacuum cleaner, which is depicted in the upright storage position withthe handle collapsed.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown attached to avacuum cleaner, which is depicted in the upright storage position withthe handle collapsed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of theinvention shown as part of an interchangeable handle set for a vacuumcleaner.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of theinvention shown attached to yet another vacuum cleaner, which isdepicted in the upright position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of theinvention shown as the handle of a wand of a canister-type wetextractor.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth exemplary embodiment of theinvention shown as a handle of an “electric broom” style vacuum.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sixth exemplary embodiment of theinvention shown as the handle of a hand-held cleaner.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the base assembly of the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the rear housing and cyclone containerassemblies of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the T-joint assembly of FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the filter assembly and dirt cup lid ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of the handle lock system of theembodiment of FIG. 12, shown in the locked position.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view of the handle lock system of theembodiment of FIG. 12, shown in the unlocked position.

FIG. 17 is a fragmented, partially assembled view of the valve assemblyand rear housing of FIG. 12.

FIG. 18 is an exploded front isometric view of an alternative embodimentof a valve assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is an exploded rear isometric view of the valve assembly of FIG.18.

FIG. 20 is an exploded isometric view of another alternative embodimentof a valve assembly of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides an improved handle for cleaning devices.The handle generally comprises a grip having multiple gripping positionsfor handling the device to which the handle is attached. Such amulti-position grip facilitates operating, transporting, storing andotherwise manipulating the device. The handle may be used with any typeof cleaning device, such as bag or bagless vacuums, wet extractors,mops, brooms, canister-type cleaners, wet/dry vacuums, accessory tools,and hand-held and other types of portable cleaners. Examples of suchdevices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,558,453; 6,481,048; 6,311,366;6,308,374; and 5,933,912, which are incorporated herein by reference.

A first exemplary embodiment of a handle 100 of the present invention isshown in FIG. 1. The handle 100 generally comprises a grip structure 102having an opening 104 therethrough. The opening 104 is preferablycircular or approximately circular, but also may be somewhat ellipticalor ovoid in shape, and is sized to allow a user's digits to passcomfortably therethrough in multiple different holding positions. Asshown in FIGS. 1-5, in a preferred embodiment, the grip structure 102has a circular cross-sectional profile and forms a toroidal shape (thatis, the grip structure 102 comprises a shape having a circular crosssection that is swept through a circular path to form a donut-likeshape). While this circular cross-sectional profile is useful forproviding a grip that is easily grasped in a human hand, the gripstructure 102 may have other cross-sectional profiles, such assemi-circular, ovoid, elliptical, or partly or wholly rectilinearprofiles. In addition to having a substantially circular opening 104,the grip structure 102 may also have a substantially circular outerperimeter, as shown in FIG. 1. The grip structure 102 preferablycompletely surrounds the opening 104, but a small gap (not shown) may beprovided so that the opening 104 is not completely surrounded. The gripstructure 102 is formed from plastic, metal, wood, or any other usefulstructural material, and may be integrated directly into a molded bodyof the device to which it attached, or may be produced separately.

The handle also may be provided with a grip surface 106 that extendspartially or entirely around the inner side 108 of the grip structure102. Any suitable grip surface, such as an overmolded rubber orsynthetic material, may be used. The grip surface 106 may include fingerindentations and other shapes to improve comfort and grip or addcosmetic value. The grip surface provides a region of greater grip forthe user's hand. While it is within the scope of the invention toprovide the entire grip structure with a region of highly-tactilematerial, such as rubber, in one embodiment only the inner side 108 ofthe grip structure 102 has such a material, while the remainder isconstructed of material having a less tactile material, such as hardplastic. In another embodiment, the inner side 108 and the outer sideare both covered, in part, by a relatively tactile material. Thisdual-material grip is expected to allow the user's hand to slidesomewhat on the handle 100 to assist with changing hand positions and toprevent chafing. The grip surface 106 may also comprise a system ofinterchangeable grips that can be removed and replaced so that the usercan customize the shape, texture, appearance or diameter of the grip.The handle 100 also may have one or more controls (not shown) integratedtherein or attached thereto for controlling the operation of the vacuumor other device to which the handle 100 is attached. Such controls mayinclude vacuum motor power switches, brushroll power switches, fluiddeposition system controls (in the case of extractors), and so on.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the handle 100 may be attached toany suitable cleaning device. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2through 5, the cleaning device 200 comprises a conventional baglessvacuum cleaner having a base, shown as foot 202, adapted to move along afloor, and an upright rear housing, shown as canister portion 204, thatis pivotally attached to the foot 202 such that it can be held in anupright storage position (as shown in FIGS. 3 through 5), or pivoted tolean back to facilitate operation of the device 200 (as shown in FIG.2). In the shown embodiment, the canister portion 204 includes aremovable, cleanable canister 206 for receiving vacuumed dirt anddebris, which has a filter 208 through which the cleaning air isconveyed to remove particles therefrom. A vacuum source (not shown) isprovided to create a flow of air through the device 200. A brushroll 210is preferably provided in the foot 202 to agitate the surface beingcleaned. In addition, an auxiliary hose 212 and nozzle(s) 214 or othertools may be mounted to the device 200 for storage and use thereof.These and other features of cleaning devices are understood by those ofordinary skill in the art, and any variations thereof may be used withthe present invention. For example, the canister portion 204 may bereplaced by a conventional bag vacuum dirt collection system or anyother type of dirt collection container, rather than being a cycloniccollection chamber as shown.

Another feature of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 through 5 is the provisionof a telescoping handle post 216. The telescoping handle post 216 mayhave any cross-sectional shape, and may be adjustable between anextended position (FIGS. 2 and 3) and a collapsed position (FIGS. 4 and5), and optionally to various intermediate positions to accommodate userpreferences. Any type of telescoping handle may be used with theinvention, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,968,174; 6,158,089;6,311,366; and 6,766,559, which are incorporated herein by reference. Ofcourse, any other type of telescoping mechanism could instead be usedwith the invention, and the telescoping handle post 216 may be replacedby a rigid handle or a folding handle.

The telescoping handle post 216 may also have a circular cross-sectionso that it can pivot about its axis. Alternatively, the handle 100 maybe attached to the handle post 216 such that it can rotate approximatelyabout the axis of the handle post 216. In these configurations, or otherequivalent configurations, it will be seen that the handle 100 can bepivoted relative to the rest of the device 200 about an axis generallyaligned with the long axis of the rear housing 204, which provides evengreater flexibility and comfort during use. Such a rotating handle mayalso be lockable in one or more angular orientations. This also allowsthe handle 100 to be rotated 90 degrees relative to the device 200 sothat the handle is parallel with the back surface of the device 200 andthe opening 104 faces forward, so that the handle 100 can be used tohang the device 200 on a hook while the back side of the device remainapproximately flush against a wall. This configuration may also reducethe amount of floor space required to store the device 200. In stillanother variation (not shown), the handle 100 may also be pivotable sothat it can fold downward and overlie the canister portion 204 somewhatlike a halo, to further reduce storage space requirements. The handle100 and handle post 216 may also be made to be completely removable fromthe rest of the device 200, which can assist with packing the device 200into as small a space as possible for cost savings for shipping andboxed storage.

It will be appreciated that the handle 100 may be gripped from a varietyof directions and in a variety of ways, such as by grasping it overhand,underhand, or as a pistol-type grip. This increased flexibility providesergonomic and technical advantages over known handle configurations. Forexample, in typical prior art designs, the handle provides a limitedgrip area that the user is obliged to hold at a certain angle and in acertain way to operate the device. One problem with this typical priorart design is that the user may not find the handle position to becomfortable in the first instance, particularly if the user is taller orshorter than the size of the user that the handle is meant toaccommodate, or has a larger or smaller hand size. Another problem withthis typical prior art design is that, even if the user finds the handleto be comfortable initially, during use, fatigue may cause the user toexperience discomfort caused by keeping his or her hand in the sameposition for an extended time, but no alternative positions areavailable for the operator to grasp the device. Unlike the prior art,the handle of the present invention allows the user to firmly grasp itin multiple different positions and at different angles to providebetter initial comfort and the option to change grips during use to avirtually unlimited number of alternative positions to help reducefatigue.

The handle 100 of the present invention may also provide the additionaladvantage that it can be used to easily grasp and lift the device 200from the front of the device 200 by gripping the forward portion of thehandle 218 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This facilitates storing the device 200 withits back against a wall, and is particularly useful when the handle 100is arranged such that its forward portion 218 is located approximatelyabove the device's center of gravity, so that the device 200 hangsapproximately upright when grasped from the front and does not tend toswing into the wall against which it is placed.

Other variations may also be used with the present invention. Forexample, the grip structure 102 may include an inner ring that forms thegrip surface 106 that can rotate relative to the grip structure 102. Inthis embodiment, the grip surface 106 may include finger detents oroperating controls that can be pivoted to the user's desired location.Furthermore, in another embodiment, all or a portion of the entire gripstructure may rotate around the center of the opening 104 so that theuser does not have move his or her hand to change his or her angle ofgrip. In still another embodiment, shown in FIG. 6, the handle 100 maybe provided as a kit including an interchangeable conventional handle600 that both fit on a common device 602. The handle 100 may also beprovided as a replacement handle adapted to be attached to existingcommercial products.

Additional embodiments of the invention may be used with other cleaningdevices. Non-limiting examples of such devices are shown in FIGS. 7through 10. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention as a handle 700used on another vacuum 702. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the inventionas a handle 800 used on a canister-type wet extractor 802, in which thehandle 800 forms part of the device's wand 804, and may have vacuumand/or fluid passages, valves and operating controls integrated therein.FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the invention as a handle 900 used on an“electric broom” style vacuum 902 or dust mop. Finally, FIG. 10 showsanother embodiment of the invention as a handle 1000 for a hand-heldvacuum cleaner 1002.

While the shown embodiments have all generally depicted a circular,elliptical or ovoid handle, it will be appreciated that the presentinvention also includes other multi-position grips. For example, ahandle having a somewhat geometrically-shaped (e.g., triangular,squared, pentagonal, etc.) grip structure would also provide some of thebenefits of the invention. Such geometric shapes, however, are expectedto provide significantly fewer comfortable gripping positions, andtherefore are not favored. However, a grip structure having a mostlycircular shape with one or more flat portions is also contemplated bythe invention. Other variations will also be readily apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art in light of the disclosures providedherein.

The embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 will now be described in more detail withreference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the baseassembly, and FIG. 12 is and exploded view of the rear housing andcyclone container assemblies.

The base assembly 1100 comprises a lower base housing 1102 and an upperbase housing 1104 that form “clamshell” halves to hold the other partsof the base assembly 1100. These parts are preferably formed of aplastic material, but may be formed from metal or other materials. Thebase housings 1102, 1104 also join to form the working air passagetherebetween. More specifically, the base housings 1102, 1104 form abrushroll chamber 1106 at a front end thereof, which extends rearward byway of an air passage 1108 to a hollow T-joint 1110. The lower portionof the brushroll chamber 1106 is open to form an inlet nozzle (notvisible), as are known in the art. A rubber wiper skirt 1107 may also beprovided in a corresponding laterally-extending slot behind the inletnozzle to help capture dirt that might otherwise escape from the airrushing into the inlet nozzle. The skirt 1107 comprises a notched,flexible rubber strip that extends downward to contact or nearly contactthe surface being cleaned.

As shown in FIG. 11, the upper base housing 1104 has a recessed portion1103 formed in an upper surface thereof and positioned forward of therear housing pivot axis. This recessed portion 1103 receives (with orwithout actual contact) a lower portion of the rear housing 1200 (FIG.12), as shown in FIGS. 3-5, which makes the device more compactvertically. The use of this recessed portion 1103 also prevents cordsand other objects from being caught between the rear housing 1200 andthe base assembly 1100 when the device is in the upright position. Thesebenefits are obtained without having to locate a substantial portion ofthe lower portion of the rear housing in a large opening between therear housing pivot points in the base housing, as is typically done inthe prior art and in the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7. The upper basehousing 1104 also has a notched portion 1105 at its back. The notchedportion 1105 acts as an opening to allow the T-joint 1110, describedlater herein, to rise to an upright position. The use of thisconstruction allows the pivot axis of the T-joint 1110 to remain withinthe profile of the base assembly 1100, thereby making a more compactdevice.

A portion of the lower base housing 1102 is open to provide access tothe air passage 1108 from the exterior of the base assembly 1100. Thisaccess port 1111 is covered by a removable cover 1112. Should the airpassage 1108 become obstructed, an operator can remove the cover 1112 toclean out the obstruction. The cover can be held in place by tabs 1113that fit over a corresponding lip 1114 in the access port, and aresilient tab 1115 that fits into a corresponding notch 1116, but otheruser-removable constructions may be used. The cover 1112 is alsopreferably made from a transparent material, such as ABS plastic, toallow a user to visually check for obstructions.

A brushroll 1117 is located in the brushroll chamber 1106, and held inplace between the base housings 1102, 1104 by bearing mounts 1118. Thebearing mounts 1118 fit into slots 1119 in the lower base housing 1102to hold them in place, and rotatably hold each end of the brushroll1117. The bearing mounts 1118 may include typical roller or ball bearingsets to hold the brushroll axle 1124, but more preferably compriseplastic outer casings into which are pressed brass bushings 1142. Theinner surfaces of the brass bushings 1142 are cylindrical to receive thebrushroll axle 1124, but the outer surfaces of the brass bushings 1142are spherical so that they can pivot within the plastic casings of thebearing mounts 1118. The use of such bushings accommodates formanufacturing tolerance variations in the straightness of the brushroll1117 or brushroll axle 1124, or in the alignment of the bearing mountslots 1119, that would otherwise result in premature wear on the bearingmounts 1118. This design also allows some brushroll 1117 flex withoutthe bearings binding.

The brushroll 1117 has a corresponding drive pulley 1120. In the shownembodiment, the drive pulley comprises a toothed pulley 1121 having ahexagonal protrusion 1122 extending axially therefrom. The hexagonalprotrusion slidably fits within a corresponding hexagonal opening 1123in the end of the brushroll 1117, and the drive pulley 1120 is capturedin place when the bearing mounts are attached to the brushroll's axle1124. One or more screws (not shown) may also be used to affix the drivepulley 1120 to the brushroll 1117. The brushroll includes two helicalrows of bristles 1125. The helixes reverse direction at or near thecenter of the air passage 1108, which is offset from the centerline ofthe base assembly 1100, to help direct debris towards the air passage.The brushroll 1117 is sealed at each end by a pair of wool felt seals1126, which are fitted into corresponding slots 1127 in the upper andlower base housings 1102, 1104. These seals 1126 help seal the brushrollchamber 1106 from air communication with other interior regions of thebase assembly 1100.

The base assembly 1100 also includes a pair of rear wheels 1128 andwheel hubs 1129. The wheels 1128 fit over corresponding stub axles 1130that protrude laterally from opposite rear sides of the lower basehousing 1102. Clips 1131 on the stub axles 1130 snap over acorresponding lip 1131 of each wheel 1128 to hold the wheels 1128 on. Asecond set of clips 1132, located within a recessed hub portion of eachwheel 1128, snap over corresponding lips 1133 on each wheel hub 1129 tohold them in place. The base assembly 1100 also has a pair of frontwheels 1134, which are each provided with an axle 1135 that passesthrough the corresponding wheel and extends from both sides thereof. Thefront wheels 1134 and axles 1135 are held in the lower base housing 1102by snapping the protruding ends of the axles 1135 into correspondingslots (not visible) in the lower surface of a front portion of the lowerbase housing 1102, as is known in the art.

A brushroll motor 1136 is mounted in a motor chamber 1137 located behindthe brushroll chamber 1106. The brushroll motor 1136 is mounted by wayof a metal motor mounting plate 1138, which fits into a correspondingslot 1139, to more rigidly locate the drive end of the brushroll motorand prevent it from shifting during use and to minimize misalignmentthat may occur as a result of plastic deformation of the base housings1102, 1104. The brushroll motor includes a toothed drive pinion 1140,which drives the brushroll drive pulley 1120 by way of a belt 1141. Ofcourse, non-toothed drive pulleys and/or belts may be used instead, orthe belt drive arrangement may be replaced by any other suitable drivesystem, such as a gear drive system. Heat generated by the brushrollmotor 1136 is dissipated through one or more vents 1156 through thelower and/or upper base housing 1102, 1104. Although the base assembly1100 is described herein as having a brushroll and motor, it will beappreciated that these parts may be omitted to provide a more economicalor lighter device.

The brushroll motor 1136 receives power from a main power cord orbatteries (not shown) by way of electrical contacts 1143. The electricalcontacts 1143 are mounted to the T-joint 1110 under a cover 1146. Asdescribed below, these contacts 1143 connect with correspondingelectrical contacts 1251 (FIG. 12) in the rear housing 1200 (FIG. 12)when the T-joint 1110 is attached thereto. One electrical contact 1143is connected directly to the motor 1136, but the other is connected tothe motor 1136 by way of a reset switch 1144. The reset switch 1145includes a breaker that protects the motor 1136 by cutting off theelectrical supply if it stops turning or experiences an overcurrentcondition, such as may happen if the brushroll 1117 becomes obstructed.The reset switch 1144 is mounted in a corresponding slot having a hole1145 to the exterior of the base assembly 1100, so that when it istripped, a user can reset it by pressing the reset switch 1144.

The T-joint 1110 is pivotally mounted between the lower and upper basehousings 1102, 1104. To this end, the T-joint has a lower portion 1147formed by a cylindrical shape turned with its axis generally parallel tothe floor and perpendicular to a fore-aft direction of the device(preferably parallel to the brushroll 1117). This lower cylindricalportion 1147 has a lip 1148 at or near each end. These lips 1148 fitinto corresponding slots 1149 in the base housings 1102, 1104 to capturethe T-joint 1110 in place but still allow relative pivotal movementbetween the T-joint 1110 and the rest of the base assembly 1100. Ofcourse, other pivotal arrangements may be used instead. The lower basehousing 1102 is also provided with a T-joint lock 1155, which is aseparate plate-like part having a leaf-spring like cantileveredextension 1306 (FIG. 13) with a protrusion 1308 (FIG. 13) on it. Theprotrusion 1308 engages with a corresponding protrusion 1310 (FIG. 13)on the T-joint 1110 to retain the T-joint 1110 (and the rest of the rearhousing assembly 1200) in the upright position. To lean the rear housingback, the user pulls backward on the rear housing, which forces theprotrusions 1308, 1310 against one another and causes the cantileveredextension 1306 to flex away from the T-joint 1110 until the protrusions1308, 1310 are disengaged from one another. The T-joint lock 1155 isattached to the lower base housing 1102 by screws or other fasteners, oris simply integrally formed with the lower base housing 1102.

The T-joint 1100 has a hollow passage therethrough, and receives theworking air flow passing through air passage 1108, and conveys it to anopening through the upper end 1150 of the T-joint 1100, as shown bybroken arrow A. The side of the lower T-joint portion 1147 opposite theair passage 1108 is closed off to prevent air from passing therethrough.

The T-joint 1100 is also provided with a push lock 1152, which isriveted or otherwise affixed to an inner surface of the hollow passagethrough the T-joint 1110. The push lock 1152 comprises a leaf spring1154 to which a button 1153 is attached. When installed, the button 1153protrudes through a hole in the T-joint 1110, and extends outward pastthe side wall of the T-joint 1110 by some distance. The button 1153 canbe pushed back so that it is flush or nearly flush with the side wall ofthe T-joint 1110, but returns to its extended position under theinfluence of the leaf spring 1154. The use of these parts and theattachment of the T-joint 1110 to the remainder of the vacuum is shownin FIG. 13.

Referring, for the moment, to FIG. 13, the T-joint 1110 shaped to fitwithin a corresponding passage 1241 in the lower portion of the rearhousing assembly 1200 by sliding it therein. This passage 1241 forms aportion of the working air flow path. To attach the T-joint 1110, thebutton 1153 must be depressed, which can be done either manually or byengagement with a ramp surface 1302. When the T-joint 1110 is fullyinstalled, the button is aligned with a hole 1304 in the rear housingassembly 1200 and snaps back outward under the force of the leaf spring1154. Furthermore, as the T-joint 1110 is being inserted, the electricalcontacts 1143 are brought into contact with their corresponding contacts1251 (FIG. 12) in the rear housing 1200. This or other types ofdetachable or non-detachable attachment may be used with the presentinvention.

Referring now to FIG. 12, the rear housing assembly 1200 and cyclonecontainer assembly 1202 are now described in more detail. The rearhousing assembly 1200 comprises a first rear housing shell 1203, asecond rear housing shell 1204, and a motor cover 1205. The housingshells 1203, 1204 and motor cover 1205 are assembled together to hold orcontain the remaining parts of the rear housing assembly 1200, similarto the manner in which the upper and lower base housings 1102, 1104 arejoined together to construct the base assembly 1100. As with the baseassembly 1100, and the various other parts of the device, any types offasteners or adhesives can be used to assemble these parts. For example,screws or snap fittings can be used for virtually all of the assemblyrequirements for the device, as will be appreciated by those of ordinaryskill in the art.

The first rear housing shell 1203 and motor cover 1205 form a motorchamber 1206 when they are installed together. The motor chamber 1206contains a fan/motor 1207, which is an electric motor having anair-moving impeller (fan) attached to and driven by the motor. Suchdevices are well-known in the art, and any suitable fan and motor may beused. The fan and motor may also be provided as separate devices, ratherthan being conjoined as an assembled unit. The fan/motor 1207 ispreferably installed with the fan inlet 1208 directed upwards. In orderto isolate vibrations created by the fan/motor 1207, the lower end ofthe fan/motor 1207 is inserted into a rubber or elastomeric bushing1209, which is installed in a corresponding bushing slot 1210 in thefirst rear housing shell 1203 and held in place with a bracket 1211. Theupper end of the fan/motor 1207 is surrounded by a rubber or elastomericring seal 1212, which abuts a corresponding lip 1213 in the first rearhousing shell 1203 and motor cover 1205 to provide an air-tight fit.

Air exhausting from the fan/motor 1207 exits the motor chamber 1206through vents 1214, which may be located on the motor cover 1205 or thefirst rear housing shell 1203. A post-motor filter 1215 may also beprovided between the fan/motor 1207 and the vents 1214 to reduceemissions from the device or to simply screen the fan/motor 1207 fromview. The fan/motor 1207 may also be partially or wholly wrapped in afoam sound and/or vibration reducing material. The motor cover 1205 isalso optionally provided with a handle 1216, which can be used to helplift the device. In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the handle 1216 is shapedto generally conform with the shape of the vents 1214. A headlight (notshown) may also be located on the motor cover 1205 (or on the baseassembly 1100, or elsewhere). The motor cover 1205 also includes a faninlet opening 1217 that provides a fluid communication path to the faninlet 1208. A foam, rubber, or other type of seal 1218 is provided tofit around the fan inlet opening 1217 to seal against the bottom of theremovable cyclone container assembly 1202. The seal 1218 may be attachedto the opening 1217 or the cyclone assembly 1202, or providedseparately.

The cyclone container assembly 1202 generally comprises a dirt cup 1219,a filter assembly 1220, and a lid 1222. The dirt cup 1219 has an inletpassage 1223 for receiving a dirt-laden working air flow, and an outletpassage 1224 for fluidly connecting to the fan inlet 1208 to receive thevacuum generated by the fan/motor 1207. The inlet and outlet passages1223, 1224 may be integrally formed with the dirt cup 1219, as shown inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,779,745 and 5,935,279, which are incorporated herein byreference, or formed separately and joined thereto.

The filter assembly 1220 is positioned within the dirt cup 1219 to helpremove dirt, dust and other particles from the working air flow. In theshown embodiment, the filter assembly 1220 comprises a pleated filterelement 1221 that is affixed between an upper cap 1225 and a lower cap1226 by any conventional filter manufacturing method. The upper cap 1225has a vane 1227 that prevents air entering the dirt cup 1219 through theinlet passage 1223 from directly striking the filter element 1221, andmay also contribute to generating a cyclonic airflow within the dirt cup1219. The lower cap 1226 has an upwardly-extending cage 1228 thatprevents the filter element 1221 from collapsing inward, and has anopening through it to allow air passing through the filter element 1221to pass into the outlet passage 1224. A seal 1229 is provided at thebottom of the lower cap 1226 to seal the filter assembly 1220 againstthe outlet passage 1224. The filter assembly 1220 can be held in placein any suitable manner. In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 14, thefilter assembly 1220 is held in place by a resilient, releasable lockingtab 1402 on one side, an a locator tab 1404 on the other side. (The seal1229 is omitted from FIG. 14.) The filter assembly 1220 may instead beattached to be dirt cup lid 1222 by a screw, by a bayonet-type fitting,by a friction fit or by other means.

The lid 1222 is attached to the top of the dirt cup 1219 by aconventional bayonet fitting. One slot 1230 of the bayonet fitting isvisible in FIG. 12, and a pin 1406 that fits into the slot 1230 is shownin FIG. 14. The lid 1222 is preferably made so that it only fits on thedirt cup 1219 in one orientation, so that the filter vane 1227 isproperly oriented relative to the dirt cup inlet passage 1223.

The dirt cup 1219 is preferably adapted to generate a cyclonic airflowto assist with separating dirt from the working air flow. One way ofdoing this is to use a filter vane 1227 that redirects the air enteringthe cup through the inlet passage 1223 in a tangential manner.Alternatively, or in addition, the inlet passage 1223 may be shaped toimpart a tangential component to the entering air. Of course, otherdevices and methods of imparting cyclonic flow may be used instead. Itis also envisioned that the cyclonic dirt cup 1219 can be replaced by aconventional bag filter. It will also be appreciated that, while thepresent invention shows a “clean air” system in which the dirt-laden airflow is cleaned before it enters the fan/motor 1207, it can instead bereplaced by a system in which the dirt-laden air flow enters thefan/motor 1207 and is then pressurized and pushed into the dirtreceptacle.

In use, the filter assembly 1220 and lid 1222 are assembled to the dirtcup 1219 to form the cyclone container assembly 1202. The containerassembly 1202 is removably positioned in the device so that it rests onthe motor cover 1205 with the dirt cup outlet passage 1224 positionedadjacent the fan inlet opening 1217, and the seal 1218 providing a fluidtight airflow passage therebetween. The dirt cup inlet passage 1223nests within a recess 1231 formed in an upright portion 1232 of thefirst rear housing shell 1203 that extends above the motor chamber 1206.The upright portion 1232 also includes a dirt cup latch 1233, which ismounted in the upright portion 1232 such that it can be moved downwardand biased upward by an associated spring 1234. The dirt cup latch 1233includes a hook 1235 that protrudes through an opening 1236 through theupright portion 1232 of the first rear housing shell 1203. This hookengages a corresponding protrusion or recess (not shown) in the dirt cup1219 or lid 1222 to hold the container assembly 1202 in place. Thecontainer assembly is released by depressing the dirt cup latch 1233.

The second rear housing shell 1204 is affixed to the back of the firstrear housing shell 1203 by way of screws or other fastening devices. Thefirst and second rear housing shells 1203, 1204 contain a valve assembly1237 and a handle assembly 1238.

The valve assembly 1237 is located at the bottom end of the rear housing1200, and provides a working air flow path between the base assembly1100 and the dirt cup inlet passage 1223. The valve assembly 1237comprises a rear valve housing 1239 and a front valve housing 1240 thatare assembled together to form a base assembly inlet 1241, an auxiliaryinlet 1242 and a valve outlet 1243. These parts are shown in a partiallyassembled rear view in FIG. 17. The upper end 1150 of the T-joint 1110is installed directly into the base assembly inlet 1241 of the valveassembly 1237, or to an intermediate tube or hose, to join the baseassembly 1100 to the rear housing 1200, as shown somewhat schematicallyin FIG. 13. The rear valve housing 1239 also includes a mounting point1250 that holds electrical contacts 1251 that contact the electricalcontacts 1143 in the base housing 1100, when the parts are assembled, topower the brushroll motor 1136.

The valve housings 1239, 1240 form a valve chamber 1244 in which abarrel valve 1245 is located such that it can rotate about itscylindrical axis. In a first position, shown in FIG. 12, the barrelvalve 1245 provides a fluid communication path between the base assemblyinlet 1241 and the valve outlet 1243. When rotated approximately 90degrees (clockwise in FIG. 12, and counterclockwise in FIG. 17), thebarrel valve 1245 provides a fluid communication path between theauxiliary inlet 1242 and the valve outlet 1243, as shown in FIG. 17.

An accessory hose 212 (FIG. 2) is attached to the auxiliary inlet 1242by an appropriate cuff 1246, which may be removable by a user tofacilitate cleaning of the accessory hose 212 and the valve assembly1237. The second rear housing shell 1204 has a recess 1247 that receivesthe valve assembly 1237, and a valve control knob 1248 is locatedoutside the second rear housing shell 1204 and attached to the barrelvalve 1245 to operate it. When assembled, the valve outlet 1243 ispositioned at the bottom of the recess 1231 in the upright portion 1232of the first rear housing shell 1203 such that it is adjacent the dirtcup inlet passage 1223 when the dirt cup 1219 is installed. A foam seal1249 is attached to the valve outlet 1243 to help provide an air-tightworking air passage between the dirt cup inlet passage 1223 and thevalve outlet 1243.

A pair of electrical cord mounting hooks 1252, 1253 are also attached tothe second rear housing shell 1204. The upper cord hook 1252 comprises aconventional cordreel hook having a fixed base 1254 and a rotatable hookportion 1255 that can be turned 180 degrees to quickly release a powercord (not shown) wound thereon. The fixed base 1254 is attached to anupper mounting point 1256 located near an upper end of the second rearhousing shell 1204. The lower cord hook 1253 comprises adownwardly-projecting hook portion 1257 and an upwardly-projecting toolholder 1258 that is adapted insert into the bore of an optionalaccessory cleaning tool 1260 and thereby hold the tool 1259 in place forstorage on the device. The lower cord hook 1253 is rigidly mounted to alower mounting point 1260 located near the lower end of the second rearhousing shell 1204. The power cord enters through a hole 1265 in thesecond rear housing shell 1204, and connects with a main power switch1266 to provide electricity to the device. In a preferred embodiment,the main power switch 1266 comprises a three-position rocker switchhaving a first position in which the device is not operating, a secondposition in which only the fan/motor 1207 is operating, and a thirdposition in which the fan/motor 1207 and the brushroll motor 1136 areoperating.

A loop-like handle 1261 is attached to the upper end of the rear housing1200. The handle 1261 has a curved contour that provides an ergonomichandgrip on its bottom surface and a cupped surface on its top side. Thecupped surface provides the added benefit of acting as a hose retainerto hold the accessory hose 212 (FIG. 2) in place when it is not in use.The handle 1261 is attached to the rear housing 1200 by pushing itslower ends downward through two openings (not shown) in the rear housing1200 until slots 1262 on each end of the loop engage corresponding tabs1263, which are rigidly mounted below the slots in the rear housing 1200at corresponding mounting points 1264 on the second rear housing shell1204. The tabs 1263 are not accessible unless the first and second rearhousing shells 1203, 1204 are disassembled. Using this construction, thehandle 1261 may be provided disassembled from the rear housing 1200 tominimize the size of the container required to ship the device, but cannot be accidentally disassembled in regular use.

The handle assembly 1238 is also housed within the first and second rearhousing shells 1203, 1204, and generally fits within a handle recess1267 in the second rear housing shell 1204. The handle assembly 1238comprises a handle support bushing 1268 into which a handle post 1269slidably fits. The handle support bushing is mounted in the second rearhousing shell near the top of the handle recess 1267. Attached to thetop end of the handle post 1269 are a grip adaptor 1270 and a grip 1271.The grip adapter 1270 is preferably riveted or bonded to the handle post1269, but may be releasably attached thereto. The grip 1271, which isshaped as described previously herein, is preferably formed of twohalves, as shown, that are attached to one another by screws, snapengagement, or other fasteners. The grip 1271 and grip adapter 1270 maybe attached, either permanently or removably, by any type of fasteningmethod. For example, these parts may be detachably engaged by apushbutton release, such as described with respect to the attachmentbetween the base assembly 1100 and the rear housing 1200, and shown inFIG. 13.

The handle post 1270 is provided with a pair of pins 1272 that, whenassembled, protrude out of corresponding holes 1273 on either side ofthe handle post 1269 (only one hole 1273 is visible). Each pin 1272comprises a pin attached to a semi-circular leaf spring that fits withinthe bore of the handle post 1269. The leaf spring biases the pin 1272out through the respective hole 1273, but allows it to be pushed back sothat it is flush or nearly flush with the outer surface of the handlepost 1269 to allow the handle post 1269 to be inserted into the handlesupport bushing 1268. When the first and second rear housing shells1203, 1204 are assembled, they form a pair of channels 1274 on eitherside of the handle recess 1267 (only one half of one channel 1274 isvisible). The pins 1272 protrude into these channels and thereby preventthe handle post 1269 from rotating about its axis. In other embodiments,the handle post 1269 may be made to rotate about its axis, either freelyor only when desired. Alternatively, the handle post 1269 and handlesupport bushing 1268 may be made with corresponding non-circularprofiles that do not allow relative rotation when the handle post 1269is inserted in the handle support bushing 1268.

In a preferred embodiment, the handle post 1269 is a telescoping postthat may be moved from a collapsed position to an extended position, andoptionally to various intermediate positions. A preferred telescopinglock arrangement is shown in FIGS. 12, 15 and 16. In this embodiment,the device includes a handle lock 1275 that is located in the secondrear housing shell 1204 adjacent the handle support bushing 1268. Thehandle lock 1275 has a lever portion 1502 (FIGS. 15 & 16) that isintegrally formed with a slider 1504. The slider 1504 is slidablycaptured between the second rear housing shell 1204 and the handlesupport bushing 1268, and has two recessed portions 1506 that face thehandle support bushing 1268. The lever 1502 protrudes to be accessiblefrom the exterior of the device through an opening 1278. The handlesupport bushing 1268 has two slots 1510 that are sized to receive a pairof pins 1276 aligned perpendicular to the axis of the handle posts 1269.A spring 1277 is provided to press against the bottom of the slider 1504portion of the handle lock 1275 and bias it upwards.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the handle post 1269 has a number ofdetents 1512, which are spaced from one another by the same distance asthe distances between the pins 1276 and slots 1510. When the handle lock1275 is in the upward position under the bias of the spring 1277, asshown in FIG. 15, the slider 1504 presses the pins into the slots 1510,and into the detents 1512 on the handle post 1269. In this position, thehandle post 1269 is prevented from moving upwards or downwards by theengagement between the pins 1276, slots 1510 and detents 1512. When thehandle lock 1275 is pushed downward by pushing on the lever 1502,however, the recessed portions 1506 of the slider 1504 align with theslots 1510, thus allowing the pins 1276 to move out of the detents 1512.In this position, the handle post 1269 can now be moved telescopicallyrelative to the rest of the rear housing assembly 1200. The spring 1277returns the handle lock 1275 to the upper, locked position when thelever 1502 is released.

While the foregoing telescoping lock mechanism is preferred, otherdevices may be used instead. Examples of other telescoping devices thatmay be used with the present invention are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,332,266; 5,941,575; and 6,474,696, which are incorporated herein byreference.

Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, a first alternative embodiment of avalve assembly 1800 is shown removed from the device. In thisembodiment, the valve assembly 1800 comprises an inlet tube set 1802, aswitch plate 1804, a switch 1806, and an outlet tube 1808. The inlettube set 1802 has a base assembly inlet tube 1810, which is fluidlyattached to a base assembly (not shown) and its corresponding suctioninlet nozzle. The inlet tube set 1802 also has an auxiliary inlet tube1812 that is fluidly connected to a corresponding auxiliary cleaninghose.

The switch plate 1804 is attached to or positioned immediately above theinlet tube set 1802 when they are assembled. The switch plate 1804comprises a plate 1814 or block having a hole 1816 formed therein. Thehole 1816 is shaped and sized to fit over and provide fluidcommunication to both the base assembly inlet tube 1810 and theauxiliary inlet tube 1812. Alternatively, two separate holes may beformed, with one hole corresponding to each of the inlet tubes 1810,1812. When assembled, the hole 1816 or holes are positioned adjacent theinlet tube set 1802, and may be provided with a seal (not shown) to helpprevent air leaks between the plate 1814 and the inlet tube set 1802.

The switch plate 1804 also has a recessed track 1818 formed therein toreceive a corresponding flow diverter 1820 on the switch 1806. The flowdiverter 1820 comprises a plate-like structure that fits within thetrack 1818 such that it can be slid into a first position to block theauxiliary inlet tube 1812, and a second position to block the baseassembly inlet tube 1810. These positions correspond to the floorcleaning and auxiliary cleaning positions, respectively. The switchplate 1804, switch 1806 and/or the vacuum housing in which the parts arecontained may also include detents or other movement inhibitors tofirmly hold the switch 1806 in each of the two positions to prevent theswitch 1806 from sliding out of place when it is not desired to changethe cleaning mode. A switch handle 1822 (FIG. 19) is provided on theswitch 1806 and accessible to a user from outside the vacuum body.

The outlet tube 1808 is positioned immediately above the flow diverter1820. The lower portion 1824 of the outlet tube 1808 is adapted to fitagainst the top of the switch plate 1804 and provide a fluid-tight fitto prevent vacuum leaks at this junction. A seal (not shown) may beprovided to help seal the parts together, or a seal may be provided bysimply abutting the parts. The outlet tube 1808 comprises a relativelylarge bell mouth 1826 that is shaped to cover both the base assemblyinlet tube 1810 and the auxiliary inlet tube 1812, and thus can receivethe working air from either of the inlet tubes 1810, 1812, depending onwhich is exposed by the flow diverter 1820. The outlet tube 1808 narrowsto a smaller diameter portion 1828 above the bell mouth 1826, which isfluidly connected to the dirt receptacle (not shown).

Referring now to FIG. 20, still another embodiment of a valve assembly2000 that may be used with the present invention is shown. In thisembodiment, the valve assembly 2000 comprises a base assembly inlet tube2002 that is connected or connectable to a base assembly (not shown) andits corresponding suction nozzle, a switch member 2004, and an outlettube 2006 that is connected to the device's dirt receptacle (not shown).The inlet tube 2002 and outlet tube 2006 are mounted in a spaced-apartrelationship, such as shown, and the switch member 2004 is adapted toslide on one or more tracks 2008 located between the tubes 2002, 2006.Like the switch plate 1804 described above with reference to FIGS. 18and 19, the tracks 2008 are adjacent the respective tubes 2002, 2006 toprovide a tight seal, and may be integrally formed therewith.

The switch member 2004 comprises a block-like structure having a firstpassage 2010 that extends entirely through the switch member 2004 in thevertical direction (note that the use of directional indications is usedsolely for clarity of explanation, and it will be appreciated that thedevice can be reoriented in any direction). A second passage 2012,located next to the first passage 2010, extends vertically through thetop of the switch member 2004, but turns laterally through a sideopening 2014 through the end of the switch member 2004. The bottom ofthe second passage 2012 is blocked. An auxiliary hose 2016 (or auxiliaryhose mounting cuff) is attached to switch member 2004 to communicatewith the side opening 2014.

When assembled, the switch member 2004 slides on the tracks 2008 betweenthe inlet and outlet tubes 2002, 2006 and is provided with a switchhandle 2018 that can be actuated by a user. The switch member 2004 canbe placed in a first position in which the first passage 2010 is locatedto provide a fluid communication path between the tubes 2002, 2006,thereby placing the device in the floor cleaning mode of operation. Theswitch member 2004 can also be slid into a second position in which thesecond passage 2012 is located below, and in fluid communication with,the outlet tube 2006, to thereby place the device in the auxiliarycleaning mode. Like the switch assemblies described with reference toFIGS. 12 and 18, the switch member 2004 may be provided with detents orother travel inhibitors to help hold it in the two positions and preventaccidental movement. To prevent the user from pulling the switch member2004 out of position by pulling on the auxiliary hose 2016, theauxiliary hose 2016 may be firmly attached to a portion of the housingat some point between the switch member 2004 and the working end, or aseparate intermediate hose or telescoping tube can be provided betweenthe switch member 2004 and the device's housing to isolate the switchmember 2004 from the auxiliary hose. The switch member 2004 and/ortracks 2008 may also be constructed such that a user can easily slidethe entire switch member out of the device housing to facilitatecleaning and removal of obstructions.

While the embodiments of the invention described above are preferred, itwill be recognized and understood that these embodiments are notintended to limit the invention, which is limited only be the appendedclaims. Various modifications may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a base adapted for movement on a surfaceto be cleaned; a rear housing, pivotally attached at a first end thereofto the base; a vacuum source; a dirt collection container; and a handleattached to a second end of the rear housing, wherein the handlecomprises: a grip structure having a substantially circular openingtherethrough, the opening being adapted to receive a hand of a user foruse in directing the vacuum cleaner.
 2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1,wherein the handle further comprises a telescoping handle post joiningthe hear housing to the grip structure, the telescoping handle postbeing telescopically affixed to the rear housing and adapted to beadjustable between at least a collapsed position and an extendedposition.
 3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the grip structurecomprises a grip surface disposed on at least a portion of an inner sideof the grip structure.
 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein thegrip surface comprises overmolded rubber or synthetic material.
 5. Thevacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the grip structure further comprisesone or more controls for controlling the operation of the vacuumcleaner.
 6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the grip structurecomprises a toroid.
 7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the gripstructure has a substantially circular outer perimeter.
 8. The vacuumcleaner of claim 1, wherein the grip structure is pivotable about anaxis generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the rear housing. 9.The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the dirt collection chambercomprises a bag.
 10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the handlefurther comprises a telescoping handle post joining the hear housing tothe grip structure, the telescoping handle post being telescopicallyaffixed to the rear housing and adapted to be adjustable between atleast a collapsed position and an extended position.
 11. The vacuumcleaner of claim 1, wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises aremovable canister.
 12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein thehandle further comprises a telescoping handle post joining the hearhousing to the grip structure, the telescoping handle post beingtelescopically affixed to the rear housing and adapted to be adjustablebetween at least a collapsed position and an extended position.
 13. Thevacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprisesone or more filters through which air moving through the vacuum cleanerpasses to remove particles from the air.
 14. The vacuum cleaner of claim1, wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises a wet extractor having a fluiddelivery system associated therewith.
 15. A vacuum cleaner comprising: acanister having a vacuum source and a dirt collection chamber; a hoseconnected to the canister; a wand connected to the hose; afloor-engaging cleaning head attached to an end of the wand opposite thehose; and a handle attached to the wand, wherein the handle comprises: agrip structure having a substantially circular opening therethrough, theopening being adapted to receive a hand of a user for use in directingthe floor-engaging cleaning head.
 16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15,wherein the grip structure comprises a grip surface disposed on at leasta portion of an inner side of the grip structure.
 17. The vacuum cleanerof claim 16, wherein the grip surface comprises overmolded rubber orsynthetic material.
 18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the gripstructure further comprises one or more controls for controlling theoperation of the vacuum cleaner.
 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15,wherein the grip structure comprises a toroid.
 20. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 15 wherein the grip structure has a substantially circular outerperimeter.
 21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the dirtcollection chamber comprises a bag.
 22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15,wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises a removable canister. 23.The vacuum cleaner of claim 22, wherein the vacuum cleaner furthercomprises one or more filters through which air moving through thevacuum cleaner passes to remove particles therefrom.
 24. The vacuumcleaner of claim 15, wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises a wetextractor having a fluid delivery system associated therewith.